KOFU, Dec 19 — Climbers using the most popular trail on Mount Fuji are expected to be charged a doubled fee of ¥4,000 (RM115) from next summer as the Yamanashi prefectural government seeks to address overcrowding, a source close to the matter said today.
According to Kyodo News Agency, the prefectural government also plans to move forward the closing time of the entrance gate at the trail’s fifth station by two hours to 2pm, to discourage overnight “bullet climbing”, or attempting to reach the summit of Japan’s tallest mountain without resting.
The plan comes as Shizuoka prefecture, which manages three trails to the 3,776m peak, is also preparing to introduce a ¥4,000 climbing fee while restricting trail access from 2pm from next summer.
Mt Fuji, designated a Unesco World Cultural Heritage site in 2013, attracts hundreds of thousands of climbers each year during its official climbing season from July to early September.
Revenue from the climbing fees will be used to cover staffing costs and safety measures. Yamanashi Prefecture plans to stop soliciting separate ¥1,000 donations from climbers that were previously used to support the upkeep of the mountain, the source said.
The Yamanashi government introduced the ¥2,000 fee for climbing the mountain and a limit of 4,000 climbers per day this year. A gate was installed at the fifth station of the Yoshida Trail, restricting access from 4pm to 3am the next day, except for climbers with reservations at mountain lodges.
— Bernama
